Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Aman Arora today said that the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is making continuous efforts to create a progressive and employment-friendly ecosystem across the state.
He was addressing the gathering at the Mega Job Fair organised in Sunam. The first Mega Job Fair for the Sangrur, Malerkotla and Barnala cluster was jointly organised by the Department of Industries and the Department of Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training.
Candidates between 18 and 50 years of age participated in the event and secured employment opportunities offering monthly salaries ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 42,000, depending on their qualifications and experience. A total of 61 leading companies from across the country and the state participated in the fair, while 2,129 job seekers attended.
During the event, 562 candidates were selected for employment, while 618 candidates were shortlisted by various companies for further recruitment. Letters of Intent (LoIs) were also issued to selected candidates on the spot. The Cabinet Minister said that over the past four and a half years, the Punjab Government has provided nearly 70,000 government jobs to deserving youth in a completely transparent manner, without any bribery or political recommendations.
He added that government jobs alone cannot provide employment to every young person. Therefore, it is essential to create an ecosystem in which private industries and companies can also generate large-scale employment opportunities for the youth.
The Department of Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training and the Department of Industries are working together as a bridge between employers and job seekers by connecting companies with skilled youth. Some of the major companies participating in the fair included Sonalika, Mahindra Tractors, KRBL, Avani, A.P. Organics, Max, Nahar Spinning, and several other reputed industrial units.
The fair offered employment opportunities to candidates with a wide range of educational and technical qualifications, including 10th and 12th pass, ITI (Boiler, Electrical and Mechanical trades), B.Sc. (Non-Medical), B.Com., graduates, diploma holders (Mechanical and Electrical), and CNC-certified candidates.
Responding to a media query on developing an IT hub in Punjab on the lines of Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Mr. Aman Arora said, "Mohali already has a well-established and thriving IT hub. Besides this, thousands of young people are employed in the IT and allied sectors in major cities such as Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar.
Young people should have the freedom to pursue better employment opportunities wherever they are available." On the occasion, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora visited the counters of all participating companies and interacted with company representatives as well as job seekers.
Among those present were Amrit Singh, IAS, Director, Department of Employment Generation and Training; Poonamdeep Kaur, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur; Ankur Mahindroo, Additional Deputy Commissioner; Gagandeep Singh, SDM, Sunam; Mukesh Juneja, Chairman, Market Committee, Sunam; Yashpal Mangla, Media Advisor to the Cabinet Minister, along with officers from various departments, public representatives, dignitaries, and a large number of youth.